Mobile station positioning assistance with local mapping data

ABSTRACT

Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses for use in providing positioning assistance data to mobile stations. For example, a method in a first server in a cellular network may comprise sending a request for location information to a mobile station. A request for assistance data indicating an address of a second server may be received from the mobile station. Based on this address, a request for local mapping data may be sent to the second server. The local mapping data may be received from the second server. The assistance data based on the local mapping data and identifying a wireless signal transmitter may be sent to the mobile station. The location information, based on the assistance data and on a positioning operation based on a wireless signal transmitted by the identified wireless signal transmitter may be received from the mobile station.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No.13/015,531, entitled “Mobile Station Positioning Assistance With LocalMapping Data,” filed Jan. 27, 2011, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 61/300,347, filed Feb. 1, 2010 entitled“Positioning with Involvement of Network Positioning Server”, filed Feb.1, 2010. All of the applications listed above are assigned to theassignee hereof and expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, andmore particularly to methods and apparatuses for use in providingpositioning assistance data with local mapping data to mobile stations.

2. Information

The Global Positioning System (GPS) and other like satellite positioningsystems have enabled navigation services for mobile handsets in outdoorenvironments. Since satellite signals may not be always be reliablyreceived and/or acquired in an indoor environment, different techniquesmay be employed to enable position estimation and related navigationservices. For example, mobile stations can typically obtain a positionfix by measuring ranges to three or more terrestrial radio transmitterswhich are positioned at known locations. Such ranges may be measured,for example, by obtaining a MAC ID address from signals received fromsuch access points and measuring one or more characteristics of signalsreceived from such access points such as, for example, signal strength,round trip delay, just to name a few examples.

By way of additional example, a mobile station, such as, a mobile phone,smart phone, etc., may perform signal-based position estimation toidentify its location within a structure by taking measurements, forexample of a signal strength (e.g., an RSSI) and/or propagation time(e.g., a round-trip time (RTT)) for signals exchanged with various radiotransmitters (e.g., access points, beacons, etc.). A mobile station mayuse these or other like measurements to obtain a probabilitydistribution over a region of space (e.g., defined using two orcoordinates (x, y), etc.). Such a probability distribution or other likeinformation may, for example, be used in a particle filter, Kalmanfilter, and/or other positioning mechanism using known techniques.

In some implementations, an indoor navigation system may provide adigital electronic map to mobile stations, e.g., as a user enters aparticular indoor area. Such a map may show indoor features such asdoors, hallways, entry ways, walls, etc., points of interest such asbathrooms, pay phones, room names, stores, etc. Such a digitalelectronic map may be stored at a server to be accessible by a mobilestation through selection of an Internet based URL, for example. Thus,to obtain such a map, a mobile station may need to leave a servingnetwork or other cellular network and/or otherwise access a local areanetwork and/or the Internet. By obtaining and displaying such a map, amobile station may overlay a current location of the mobile station (anduser) over the displayed map to provide the user with additionalcontext. Using map information indicating routing constraints, a mobilestation may also apply location estimates to estimating a trajectory ofthe mobile station in an indoor area subject to the routing constraints.

SUMMARY

In an example implementation, a method is provided which may beimplemented with a first server in a cellular network. Such an examplemethod may comprise: initiating transmission of a request (e.g., one ormore electrical signals or other like signals representing a request)for location information to a mobile station; in response to obtaining arequest for assistance data from the mobile station, initiatingtransmission of a request for local mapping data to a second server; inresponse to obtaining the local mapping data from the second server,initiating transmission of the assistance data (e.g., one or moreelectrical signals or other like signals representing the assistancedata) to the mobile station, the assistance data being based, at leastin part, on the local mapping data; and obtaining the locationinformation from the mobile station, the location information beingbased, at least in part, on the assistance data.

In another example implementation, an apparatus is provided for use in afirst server in a cellular network. Such an example apparatus maycomprise: means for providing a request for location information to amobile station; means for providing a request for local mapping data toa second server, in response to obtaining a request for assistance datafrom the mobile station; means for obtaining the local mapping data fromthe second server; means for providing assistance data to the mobilestation, the assistance data being based, at least in part, on the localmapping data; and means for obtaining the location information from themobile station, the location information being based, at least in part,on the assistance data.

In yet another example implementation, an apparatus is provided for usein a first server in a cellular network. Such an example apparatus maycomprise: at least one network interface; and at least one processingunit to, via the at least one network interface: initiate transmissionof a request for location information to a mobile station; initiatetransmission of a request for local mapping data to a second server, inresponse to obtaining a request for assistance data from the mobilestation; initiate transmission of assistance data to the mobile station,the assistance data being based, at least in part, on the local mappingdata obtained from the second server; and obtain the locationinformation from the mobile station, the location information beingbased, at least in part, on the assistance data.

In still another example implementation, an article of manufacture isprovided. Such an example article may comprise: a non-transitorycomputer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementableinstructions executable by one or more processing units of a firstserver in a cellular network to: initiate transmission of a request forlocation information to a mobile station; in response to obtaining arequest for assistance data from the mobile station, initiatetransmission of a request for local mapping data to a second server; inresponse to obtaining the local mapping data from the second server,initiate transmission of the assistance data to the mobile station, theassistance data being based, at least in part, on the local mappingdata; and obtain the location information from the mobile station, thelocation information being based, at least in part, on the assistancedata.

In an example implementation, a method is provided which may beimplemented with a mobile station. Such an example method may comprise:transmitting a request for assistance data to a first server in cellularnetwork, the assistance data being based, at least in part, on localmapping data obtained by the first server from a second server;obtaining the assistance data from the first server; determininglocation information associated with the mobile station based, at leastin part, on the assistance data; and transmitting the locationinformation to the first server.

In another example implementation, an apparatus is provided for use in amobile station. Such an example apparatus may comprise: means forproviding a request for assistance data to a first server in a cellularnetwork, the assistance data being based, at least in part, on localmapping data obtained by the first server from a second server; meansfor obtaining the assistance data from the first server; means fordetermining location information associated with the mobile stationbased, at least in part, on the assistance data; and means for providingthe location information to the first server.

In yet another example implementation, a mobile station may comprise: atleast one network interface; and at least one processing unit to:initiate transmission of a request for assistance data to a first serverin a cellular network via the at least one network interface, theassistance data being based, at least in part, on local mapping dataobtained by the first server from a second server; obtain the assistancedata from the first server via the at least one network interface;determine location information associated with the mobile station based,at least in part, on the assistance data; and initiate transmission ofthe location information to the first server via the at least onenetwork interface.

In still another example implementation, an article of manufacture isprovided. Such an example article may comprise: a non-transitorycomputer readable medium having stored therein computer-implementableinstructions executable by one or more processing units of a mobilestation to: initiate transmission of a request for assistance data to afirst server in a cellular network, the assistance data being based, atleast in part, on local mapping data obtained by the first server from asecond server; obtain the assistance data from the first server;determine location information associated with the mobile station based,at least in part, on the assistance data; and initiate transmission ofthe location information to the first server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive aspects are described with reference tothe following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example environmentthat includes one or more computing devices and a mobile station for usein providing positioning assistance data with local mapping data to themobile station, in accordance with an implementation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating certain features of anexample computing device capable of providing positioning assistancedata with local mapping data to a mobile station, in accordance with animplementation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating certain features of anexample mobile station capable of obtaining and using positioningassistance data with local mapping data, in accordance with animplementation.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating certain features of an exampleprocess for use in at least one computing device capable of providingand/or assisting one or more other computing devices in providingpositioning assistance data with local mapping data to a mobile station,in accordance with an implementation.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating certain features of an exampleprocess for use in a mobile station capable of obtaining and usingpositioning assistance data with local mapping data, in accordance withan implementation.

FIG. 6 is a call flow diagram illustrating certain features of anexample process during which positioning assistance data with localmapping data is provided to a mobile station, in accordance with animplementation.

FIG. 7 is a call flow diagram illustrating certain features of anotherexample process during which positioning assistance data with localmapping data is provided to a mobile station, in accordance with animplementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some example techniques are provided herein which may be implementedusing various methods and/or apparatuses to provide positioningassistance data with local mapping data to a mobile station. Here, forexample, positioning assistance data may comprise and/or otherwise bebased, at least in part, on local mapping data which may relate to acurrent location of the mobile station. Such positioning assistance datamay, for example, be provided to a mobile station by a first server(e.g., a positioning server, and/or the like) that is within a cellularnetwork (e.g., a serving cellular communication network, an affiliatedcellular communication network, other cellular communication networkthat may be in communication with a serving cellular communicationnetwork, and/or the like).

As used herein, a “serving cellular communication network” comprises ahome or other like cellular network operated by a service provider underan agreement with a person or entity associated with a mobile station.While various cellular networks may be affiliated or otherwise operatetogether to provide network services (e.g., to allow roaming, otherservices, etc.), there is typically a serving cellular communicationnetwork associated with a mobile station.

In certain example implementations, the first server may obtain at leasta portion of the local mapping data from one or more second servers(e.g., a mapping server, and/or the like) which may or may not be in thecellular network. A second server may, for example, be identified insome manner by the mobile station and/or the first server. For example,a mobile station and/or a first server may identify an applicable secondserver using a third server (e.g., a directory server, and/or the like).For example, in certain implementations, a third sever may determinesecond server information, such as, for example, a network address,based, at least in part, on a coarse position (e.g., an estimatedlocation, a estimated relative position, a cell identifier, explicituser input, etc.) of a mobile station. Thus, for example, should acoarse position of a mobile station indicate that the mobile station maybe located within or nearby an airport or shopping mall, a second servermay be identified which may provide local mapping data which may be ofuse in determining a location of the mobile station within such an“indoor” environment, and/or otherwise provide additional local contextinformation, navigation information, etc., related thereto.

In certain implementations, for example, a portion of the positioningassistance data with local mapping data may identify one or morewireless signal transmitters that may transmit one or more signals whicha mobile station may receive and process in some manner to determinelocation information (e.g., an estimated location and/or relativeposition) which may be provided to one or more other devices (e.g., afirst server, etc.) and/or which may be of use in providing locationbased services, navigation services, and/or the like, via the mobilestation. Various techniques are known which make use of such wirelesssignal transmissions to estimate a receiver's location and/or position.

In certain example implementations, techniques are provided which may beimplemented using various communication protocols which allow a mobilestation to communicate with various network devices over wireless and/orwired communication links within one or more networks. Thus, forexample, in certain instances a mobile station may send/receive certainrequests and/or responses or other like data via one or more messagessupported by one or more applicable protocols. Similarly, for example,in certain instances a server (e.g., hosted or otherwise supported byone or more computing devices) may send/receive certain requests and/orresponses or other like data via one or more messages supported by oneor more applicable protocols. While certain example protocols arementioned herein, it should be understood that claimed subject matter isnot intended to be limited to such examples.

With this in mind, and by way of non-limiting example, a method may beimplemented in a first server within at least one cellular network inwhich a request for location information may be transmitted (e.g., overa wireless communication link) to a mobile station. Here, for example, afirst server may act a positioning server within a cellular network andselectively request such location information. A mobile station mayrespond to a request for location information by transmitting a requestfor assistance data to the first server. As described in greater detailbelow, in response to obtaining the request for assistance data, thefirst server may transmit a request for local mapping data to a secondserver. In response to obtaining the local mapping data from the secondserver, the first server may transmit positioning assistance data to themobile station. Here, for example, such positioning assistance data maycomprise or be based, at least in part, on the local mapping data. Thefirst server may, for example, subsequently obtain location informationfrom the mobile station which may be based, at least in part, on thepreviously provided assistance data.

In certain example implementations, a request for assistance data mayalready be indicative of one or more particular second servers. Forexample, in certain instances, a mobile station may identify a secondserver (e.g., a mapping server) based on stored information, derivedinformation, and/or information received from one or more other devices(e.g., computing devices, mobile stations, wireless networks, etc.). Incertain example implementations, a mobile station may communicate with athird server (e.g., a directory server in the same or other likecellular network) to identify a second server. Here, for example, amobile station may provide its coarse position or other like informationto a third server which may then associate such information with one ormore applicable second servers which may or may not be in the cellularnetwork.

In other example implementations as described herein, a first server(e.g., a positioning server) may identify a second server (e.g., amapping server) based on stored information, derived information, and/orinformation received from one or more other devices (e.g., computingdevices, mobile stations, wireless networks, etc.). In certain exampleimplementations, a first server may provide a third server (e.g., adirectory server) with a coarse position or other like informationassociated with a mobile station. Thus, in certain exampleimplementations a request for assistance data may be indicative of acoarse position of the mobile station.

While a coarse position of the mobile station may be based, at least inpart, on a first positioning operation, in certain exampleimplementations location information that is subsequently obtained fromthe mobile station may be based, at least in part, on a secondpositioning operation which may be different and which makes use ofreceived positioning assistance data with local mapping data. Thus, byway of a non-limiting example, a first positioning operation may involvea GNSS and/or other terrestrial positioning techniques that may beindependent or otherwise provided, supported or augmented by a cellularnetwork, and a second positioning operation may involve a location basedservice (LBS) and/or the like provided by or otherwise supported bytransmitting devices (e.g., beacons, access points, etc.) of one or moreWLANs or the like. Hence, in certain instances a second positioningoperation may comprise an “indoor” positioning operation (e.g.,associated with one or more structures, services, businesses, events,etc.) based, at least in part, on one or more wireless signaltransmitters identified in the received positioning assistance data withlocal mapping data. For example, such positioning assistance data mayidentify a location of a transmitter, and/or other useful informationthat may be available in the local mapping data.

In certain example implementations, a method may be provided for use ina mobile station. Here, for example, a method may comprise transmittinga request for assistance data to a first server in a cellular network.The requested assistance data may, for example, be based, at least inpart, on local mapping data that may be obtained by the first serverfrom a second server. The mobile station may obtain such positioningassistance data from the first server, and may determine locationinformation associated with the mobile station based, at least in part,on the positioning assistance data. The mobile station may, for example,transmit the location information to the first server and/or otherdevices.

Attention is drawn now to FIG. 1 which is a schematic block diagramillustrating an example environment 100 that includes a first server 104in a cellular network, a second server 106, a third server 108, and oneor more networks 110, that may be used to provide positioning assistancedata with (e.g., comprising and/or based, at least in part, on) localmapping data 116 to a mobile station 102, in accordance with animplementation.

Mobile station 102 is intended to be representative of any electronicdevice that may be reasonably moved about by a user. By way of examplebut not limitation, such a mobile station may comprise a computingand/or communication device such as a mobile telephone, a smartphone, alap top computer, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, a personaldigital assistant, a navigation device, a gaming device, etc., andwhich, at times, may be operatively associated with one or more cellularnetworks or the like.

Mobile station 102, first server 104, and/or other devices representedin FIG. 1 may, for example, be enabled (e.g., via one or more networkinterfaces) for use with various wireless communication networks such asa wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless local area network(WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and so on. The term“network” and “system” may be used interchangeably herein. A WWAN may bea Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Time Division MultipleAccess (TDMA) network, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)network, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)network, a Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA)network, and so on. A CDMA network may implement one or more radioaccess technologies (RATs) such as cdma2000, Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA),Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), toname just a few radio technologies. Here, cdma2000 may includetechnologies implemented according to IS-95, IS-2000, and IS-856standards. A TDMA network may implement Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (D-AMPS), orsome other RAT. GSM and W-CDMA are described in documents from aconsortium named “3rd Generation Partnership Project” (3GPP). Cdma2000is described in documents from a consortium named “3rd GenerationPartnership Project 2” (3GPP2). 3GPP and 3GPP2 documents are publiclyavailable. A WLAN may include an IEEE 802.11x network, and a WPAN mayinclude a Bluetooth network, an IEEE 802.15x, for example. Wirelesscommunication networks may include so-called next generationtechnologies (e.g., “4G”), such as, for example, Long Term Evolution(LTE), Advanced LTE, WiMax, Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), and/or thelike.

FIG. 1 illustrates various communication links 120 and one or morenetworks 110. An apparatus 112 is illustrated within first server 104,which may, for example, support techniques provided herein via one ormore communication links 120 and/or network(s) 110. An apparatus 114 isillustrated within mobile station 102, which may, for example, supporttechniques provided herein via one or more communication links 120and/or network(s) 110. Local mapping data 116 is illustrated withinsecond server 106, which may, for example, support techniques providedherein via one or more communication links 120 and/or network(s) 110.Second server information 118 is illustrated within third server 108,which may, for example, support techniques provided herein via one ormore communication links 120 and/or network(s) 110.

Additionally in FIG. 1, one or more transmitters 130 are illustratedwhich may, for example, support location operations and/or othertechniques provided herein independently and/or via one or morecommunication links 120 and/or network(s) 110. Transmitter(s) 130 may,for example, transmit one or more wireless signals 132 that may bereceived by mobile station 102. In FIG. 1, mobile station 102 andtransmitter(s) 130 are further illustrated as being within, nearby,and/or otherwise associated in some manner with an indoor environmentthat may relate to a structure 140, for example.

It should be recognized that one or more communication links 120 shownin FIG. 1, may comprise one or more wireless communication links and/orone or more non-wireless communication links (e.g., with signalstransmitted using one or more wires, fibers, etc.), and that suchcommunication links 120 and/or network(s) 110 may also represent varioussupporting devices and/or technologies associated therewith.

Reference is made next to FIG. 2, which is a schematic block diagramillustrating certain features of an example first server 104 capable ofproviding positioning assistance data 212 with local mapping data 214 toa mobile station, in accordance with an implementation.

FIG. 2 shows a specific computing device 200 in the form of, or hosting,a first server 104, which may act as apparatus 112 (FIG. 1). In certainexample implementations, computing device 200 may act as part of acellular network or the like (represented in FIG. 1 via networks 110),e.g., as a positioning server and/or the like. In certain exampleimplementations, computing device 200 may comprise and/or be coupled toone or more other resources/devices (not shown) that may be arranged toprovide additional information useful to apparatus 112.

With this mind, as illustrated in FIG. 2, example computing device 200may comprise one or more processing units 202, memory 204, connections206, and one or more network interfaces 208. As shown, memory 204 maycomprise a primary memory 204-1, and/or a secondary memory 204-2. Here,for example, primary memory 204-1 may store computer-implementableinstructions 220 and/or data relating to apparatus 112, which may beexecuted or used by processing unit(s) 202.

As illustrated, at certain times primary memory 204-1 may, for example,store information relating to location information 210, assistance data212, local mapping data 214, second server information 216, and/orcoarse position 218. For example, location information 210 and/or coarseposition information 218 may be received from mobile station 102 via anetwork interface 208. For example, local mapping data 214 may bereceived from second server 106 (FIG. 1) via a network interface 208.For example, second server information 216 may be received from mobilestation 102 and/or third server 108 (FIG. 1) via the same or differentnetwork interface(s) 208. For example, assistance data 212 may begenerated by processing unit(s) 202 and transmitted to mobile station102 via network interface 208. Network interface(s) 208 may, forexample, comprise one or more wireless transmitters/receivers and/or oneor more non-wireless interfaces (e.g., Ethernet, etc.).

One or more processing units 202 may, for example, perform dataprocessing (e.g., in accordance with all or part of the techniquesprovided herein) using memory 204 via one or more connections 206.Processing unit(s) 202 may be implemented in hardware or a combinationof hardware and software. Processing unit(s) 202 may be representativeof one or more circuits configurable to perform at least a portion of adata computing procedure or process. By way of example but notlimitation, a processing unit may include one or more processors,controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specificintegrated circuits, digital signal processors, programmable logicdevices, field programmable gate arrays, and the like, or anycombination thereof.

Memory 204 may be representative of any data storage mechanism. Memory204 may include, for example, a primary memory 204-1 and/or a secondarymemory 204-2. Primary memory 204-1 may comprise, for example, a randomaccess memory, read only memory, etc. While illustrated in this exampleas being separate from the processing units, it should be understoodthat all or part of a primary memory may be provided within or otherwiseco-located/coupled with processing unit(s) 202, or other like circuitry.Secondary memory 204-2 may comprise, for example, the same or similartype of memory as primary memory and/or one or more data storage devicesor systems, such as, for example, a disk drive, an optical disc drive, atape drive, a solid state memory drive, etc. In certain implementations,secondary memory may be operatively receptive of, or otherwiseconfigurable to couple to, computer readable medium 230. As illustrated,memory 204 and/or non-transitory computer readable medium 230 maycomprise computer-implementable instructions 220 associated with dataprocessing (e.g., in accordance with the techniques provided herein).

Reference is made next to FIG. 3, which is a schematic block diagramillustrating certain features of mobile station 102, for example as inFIG. 1, which may be capable of obtaining and using positioningassistance data 212 with local mapping data 214, in accordance with animplementation.

FIG. 3 shows a specific computing device 300 in the form of a mobilestation 102 which may act, at least in part, as apparatus 114 (FIG. 1)to obtain and/or otherwise make use of positioning assistance data 212with local mapping data 214, in accordance with an implementation. Incertain instances, mobile station 102 may act, at least in part, asapparatus 114 to access one or more servers, and possibly make use ofwireless signals 132 transmitted by one or more transmitters 130(FIG. 1) and received via one or more receivers 314, for example. Incertain example implementations, apparatus 300 may take the form of anyelectronic device that may be reasonably moved about by a user.

With this mind, as illustrated in FIG. 3, example mobile station 102 maycomprise one or more processing units 302, memory 304, connections 306,one or more network interfaces 308, one or more user input devices 310,one or more user output devices 312, and one or more receivers 314. Asshown, memory 304 may comprise a primary memory 304-1, and/or asecondary memory 304-2. Here, for example, primary memory 304-1 isillustrated as storing information relating to apparatus 114, which maybe executed or used by processing unit(s) 302. For example, apparatus114 may be executed by processing unit(s) 302 to request or otherwiseobtain assistance data 212 with local mapping data 214, establish coarseposition 218 and/or location information 210, and/or identify secondserver information 216. Such information may, for example, betransmitted or received, as applicable, via network interface(s) 308.

As illustrated, mobile station 102 may take the form of a specificcomputing device comprising one or more processing units 302 to performdata processing (e.g., in accordance with all or part of the techniquesprovided herein) coupled to memory 304 via one or more connections 306.Processing unit(s) 302 may be implemented in hardware or a combinationof hardware and software. Processing unit(s) 302 may be representativeof one or more circuits configurable to perform at least a portion of adata computing procedure or process. By way of example but notlimitation, a processing unit may include one or more processors,controllers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specificintegrated circuits, digital signal processors, programmable logicdevices, field programmable gate arrays, and the like, or anycombination thereof.

Memory 304 may be representative of any data storage mechanism. Memory304 may include, for example, a primary memory 304-1 and/or a secondarymemory 304-2. Primary memory 304-1 may comprise, for example, a randomaccess memory, read only memory, etc. While illustrated in this exampleas being separate from the processing units, it should be understoodthat all or part of a primary memory may be provided within or otherwiseco-located/coupled with processing unit(s) 302, or other like circuitrywithin mobile station 102. Secondary memory 304-2 may comprise, forexample, the same or similar type of memory as primary memory and/or oneor more data storage devices or systems, such as, for example, a diskdrive, an optical disc drive, a tape drive, a solid state memory drive,etc. In certain implementations, secondary memory may be operativelyreceptive of, or otherwise configurable to couple to, non-transitorycomputer readable medium 360. As illustrated, memory 304 and/or computerreadable medium 360 may comprise computer-implementable instructions 320associated with data processing (e.g., in accordance with the techniquesprovided herein).

In certain example implementations, as illustrated, mobile station 102may further comprise one or more user input devices 310 (e.g., keyboard,touch screen, etc.) and/or one or more user output devices 312 (e.g., adisplay, a projector, a speaker, etc.). Hence, for example, locationbased service, route, map, and/or other like information may bepresented to the user via some form of user output. Also, user input maybe received which relates to location based services or othercapabilities.

Although not illustrated, it should be understood that mobile station102 may be enabled to perform a variety of tasks, some or many of whichmay be unrelated to location based services and/or other like positionestimation capabilities. Mobile station 102 may comprise one or morereceivers 314 to make use of a GPS or other like global navigationsatellite system (GNSS) or local navigation capability that may be usedin location or position estimation, for example. Additionally, it shouldbe understood that apparatus 114 may be representative of one or morecapabilities associated with location based services and/or other likeposition estimation.

Reference is made next to FIG. 4, which is a flow diagram illustratingcertain features of an example process 400 for use in at least onecomputing device capable of providing and/or assisting one or more othercomputing devices in providing positioning assistance data with localmapping data to a mobile station, in accordance with an implementation.For example, process 400 may be implemented in apparatus 112 of firstserver 104 (FIG. 1) in a cellular network.

At block 402, a request for location information may be provided to amobile station. Here, for example, one or more triggering events and/orservice calls may be identified which lead apparatus 112 to initiatesuch a request. In certain example implementations, a request (or atriggering event) may come from or otherwise relate to an applicationrunning on a mobile station or a server or other like computing device,a third party computing device, or the like, which may or may not bepart of a cellular network.

At block 404, in response to obtaining a request for assistance datafrom a mobile station, a request for local mapping data may be providedto a second server. In certain example implementations, at (optional)block 406 a request for assistance data may be indicative of one or moreparticular second servers, one or more particular third servers, and/ora coarse position of a mobile station. In certain exampleimplementations, at (optional) block 408 a request for second serverinformation may be provided to a third server. Here, for example, arequest for local mapping data may be based, at least in part, on secondserver information obtained from a third server. In certain exampleimplementations, second server information may comprise a networkaddress, and/or other substantially unique identifier associated with asecond server.

At block 410, in response to obtaining local mapping data from a secondserver, assistance data may be provided to a mobile station. Here, forexample, assistance data may comprise or otherwise be based, at least inpart, on local mapping data.

At block 412, location information may be obtained from a mobilestation. Here, for example, location information may be determinedbased, at least in part, on the assistance data and/or use thereof.

Attention is drawn next to FIG. 5, which is a flow diagram illustratingcertain features of an example process 500 that may be implemented inapparatus 114 of mobile station 102 (FIG. 1), for example, to obtainingand/or otherwise may used of positioning assistance data with localmapping data, in accordance with an implementation.

At block 502, a request for assistance data may be provided to a firstserver 104 (FIG. 1) in a cellular network, for example. Here, forexample, such requested assistance data may comprise and/or otherwise bebased, at least in part, on local mapping data obtained by the firstserver from a second server. In certain example implementations, at(optional) block 504, a request for assistance data may be indicative ofone or more particular second servers, one or more particular thirdservers, and/or a coarse position of the mobile station. In certainexample implementations, at (optional) block 506, a request for secondserver information may be provided to a third server and second serverinformation obtained from the third server. Here, for example, suchsecond server information may be indicative of the second server, and arequest for assistance data may be based, at least in part, on suchsecond server information.

At block 508, positioning assistance data may be obtained from a firstserver. At block 510, location information associated with the mobilestation may be determined based, at least in part, on the obtainedpositioning assistance data. At block 512, location information may beprovided to the first server and/or other like devices, services,applications, etc.

In accordance with certain aspects, the techniques provided herein mayallow for a fine-grained local position determination (so-called “indoorpositioning”) in which a positioning server in the operator's networkmay be involved in the collection and delivery of assistance data and/orposition estimates.

Various (typically) proprietary approaches to indoor positioning arewell known. In these approaches, and in similar schemes potentiallyusing an open API but outside the standardization scope of any involvedcellular network, a mobile device communicates first with a “directoryserver”, which provides, based on the approximate (e.g., the scale of alarge facility such as an airport) position of the mobile device, an IPaddress or other routing information for a “mapping server”. The mobiledevice then communicates with the mapping server to obtain supportinginformation for indoor positioning measurements, such as the locationsof nearby WLAN access points relative to which the device may determineits position.

In order to obtain a coarse position, it may be useful for a mobilestation to interact with a cellular network containing a positioningserver, using a positioning protocol, e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE)Positioning Protocol (LPP), LPP enhanced (LPPe), Radio Resource LocationServices (LCS) Protocol (RRLP), possibly other protocols, such as,Secure User Plane Location (SUPL), etc.

In a simple approach, a mobile station may first obtain its own coarseposition from a cellular network's positioning facilities, e.g., via anMO-LR (Mobile Originated Location Request) operation. After such aprocedure, a mobile station may be aware of its approximate position andmay provide it to a directory server. The delivery of assistance dataand request/response messages to obtain a positioning estimate may, forexample, take place under the auspices of a positioning protocol such asRRLP, LPP, LPPe, etc.

Alternatively, an originator of a (indoor) positioning request may be aseparate entity, e.g., a remote server or peer interested in theposition of a mobile station. In such a case, a requesting entity mayfirst trigger an MT-LR (Mobile Terminated Location Request) towards amobile station to obtain the coarse position, and then provide thatposition to the mobile station along with instructions to start anindoor positioning procedure. However, such an approach may require thata server be able to establish IP connectivity to the mobile station, andperhaps more importantly, might remove some positioning functionalityfrom a domain of an operator's positioning server. The latter may beproblematic if an operator desires to ensure that positioning is abillable event, and quite serious if lawful intercept may be required.There is thus a need for techniques, such as those presented herein,that may be employed to integrate indoor positioning with otherpositioning methods, e.g., in a cellular network controlled by apositioning server.

In one example approach presented herein, local mapping data (e.g.,possibly part of an electronic map) are provided, not to a mobilestation ultimately intended to be positioned, but to a cellularoperator's positioning server (first server) for forwarding to themobile station. Thus it is not the mobile station, but a positioningserver, that is responsible for contacting a mapping server (secondserver). Here, for example such a contact may be triggered by a requestfor assistance data, which might be realized within a positioningprotocol, potentially as an extension to the basic protocol thatencapsulates certain messages for an indoor positioning method.

With this in mind, attention is drawn next to FIG. 6, which is a callflow diagram illustrating certain features of an example process 600during which positioning assistance data with local mapping data may beprovided to a mobile station, in accordance with an implementation.

In example act 1 indoor positioning may be triggered, e.g., aspreviously described. In example act 2, a coarse position may beobtained, e.g., as also previously described. Example acts 3, 6, 9, and11 may take place as part of a positioning protocol (e.g., RRLP, LPP,LPPe, etc.) operating between a mobile station 102 and a positioningserver (first server 104). The discovery of an address for a mappingserver (second server 106), e.g., via example acts 4 and 5 by mobilestation 102, allows the applicable address to be provided to thepositioning server via example act 6. As such, the positioning servermay use the received address to retrieve local mapping data, e.g., viaexample acts 7 and 8. Local map data may, for example, be provided asassistance data in example act 9. In example act 10, the mobile stationmay take signal measurements based on the assistance data, and provide acomputed (estimated) position or location in location information peract 11 to the positioning server.

Since certain local mapping data may be considered sensitive, it may beuseful to encrypt and/or otherwise obscure such data in such a manner asto be readable by a particular mobile station but not by an interveningserver or other device. Many appropriate techniques for such end-to-endor other like encryption exist in the art, which may be employed forsuch purposes.

Attention is drawn next to FIG. 7, which is a call flow diagramillustrating certain features of another example process 700 duringwhich positioning assistance data with local mapping data may providedto a mobile station, in accordance with an implementation.

Here, as an alternative, a positioning server (first server 104) mayitself obtain an address of a mapping server (second server 106), usinga directory server (third server 108) whose address may, for example, beprovided by a device or by a client requesting a mobile station'sposition, and/or known in advance to the server.

Here, for example, a directory server address may be made available to apositioning server in example act 4; however, as noted above, in certaininstances such address may also be delivered with an initial requestfrom a client entity in example act 1, and/or known a priori to apositioning server. Example positioning protocol aspects (e.g., in acts3, 4, 9, and 11) are similar to those in process 600 of FIG. 6, exceptthat contact information for a mapping server may not be provided to apositioning server, but may instead be discovered by the positioningserver via example acts 5 and 6 in process 700.

It should be noted as well that an availability of a coarse position ofa mobile station may not be necessary; for example, if a positioningoperation in example act 2 results in a position being known to apositioning server instead (e.g., an Network Induced Location Request(NI-LR) operation), a positioning server may already have a coarseposition for use in example act 5. Thus, a coarse position in exampleact 4 may be optional.

Thus, by way of further illustration, with the example techniquesprovided herein, one may implement a method for determining an estimatedposition of a mobile station in a wireless network. Here, for example, amethod may comprise: obtaining an approximate coarse position for amobile station via a first positioning operation; obtaining from a firstserver an address of a second server based at least in part on thecoarse position; obtaining from the second server by an element ofwireless network assistance data for a second positioning operation;delivering the assistance data to the mobile station; performing, by themobile station, measurements in support of a second positioningoperation; and, wherein the second positioning operation results in theestimated position of the mobile station.

In certain example implementations, obtaining the address of the secondserver may be performed by the mobile station. In certain exampleimplementations, the address of the second server may be forwarded bythe mobile station to the positioning server. Here, for example, suchforwarding may take place using a positioning protocol, such as, forexample, LPP, LPPe, RRLP, etc. In certain instances, for example, suchforwarding may take place using a message of LPP extended to contain anaddress or other like identifier of the second server, e.g., as part ofa request for assistance data. Thus, for example, local mapping datareceived from the second server may be sent to the mobile station asassistance data responsive to the request for assistance data. Here, forexample, such data may be sent to the mobile station using a message ofLPP extended to contain data received or data based, at least in part,thereon from the second server.

In certain example implementations, obtaining an address of the secondserver may be performed by a cellular network element. Here, forexample, such a network element may comprise a positioning server. Assuch, for example, obtaining the address of the second server may betriggered by a reception at the positioning server of a request forassistance data. Here, for example, a request for assistance data maycomprise a message of a positioning protocol such as, for example, LPP,LPPe, RRLP, etc. In certain instances, for example, an LPP message maycomprise a request for assistance data which may be extended to includeone or more fields that may be used in obtaining the address of thesecond server. In certain example implementations, an LPP message maycomprise a coarse position of the mobile station, and/or an address orother like second server information.

In certain example implementations, delivery to the mobile station ofthe local mapping data received from a second server may occur as adelivery of assistance data responsive to a request. Here, for example,delivery of assistance data may make use of a message of a positioningprotocol, such as, for example, LPP, LPPe, RRLP, etc. In certain exampleimplementations, delivery of assistance data may include the use of amessage of LPP extended to provide the local mapping data received fromthe second server and/or data based thereon to a mobile station.

In certain example implementations, a coarse position of a mobilestation may be obtained by a network element as a result of a firstpositioning operation. In certain example implementations, addresses ofone or more servers may be provided as a configuration parameter to anetwork element.

Reference throughout this specification to “one example”, “an example”,“certain examples”, or “example implementation” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with thefeature and/or example may be included in at least one feature and/orexample of claimed subject matter. Thus, the appearance of the phrase“in one example”, “an example”, “in certain examples” or “in certainimplementations” or other like phrases in various places throughout thisspecification are not necessarily all referring to the same feature,example, and/or limitation. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in one or more examplesand/or features.

The terms, “and”, “or”, and “and/or” as used herein may include avariety of meanings that also are expected to depend at least in partupon the context in which such terms are used. Typically, “or” if usedto associate a list, such as A, B or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C,here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B or C, here used in theexclusive sense. In addition, the term “one or more” as used herein maybe used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in thesingular or may be used to describe a plurality or some othercombination of features, structures or characteristics. Though, itshould be noted that this is merely an illustrative example and claimedsubject matter is not limited to this example.

The methodologies described herein may be implemented by various meansdepending upon applications according to particular features and/orexamples. For example, such methodologies may be implemented inhardware, firmware, and/or combinations thereof, along with software. Ina hardware implementation, for example, a processing unit may beimplemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processingdevices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmablegate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, micro-controllers,microprocessors, electronic devices, other devices units designed toperform the functions described herein, and/or combinations thereof.

In the preceding detailed description, numerous specific details havebeen set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subjectmatter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatclaimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, methods and apparatuses that would be known by oneof ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscureclaimed subject matter.

Some portions of the preceding detailed description have been presentedin terms of algorithms or symbolic representations of operations onbinary digital electronic signals stored within a memory of a specificapparatus or special purpose computing device or platform. In thecontext of this particular specification, the term specific apparatus orthe like includes a general purpose computer once it is programmed toperform particular functions pursuant to instructions from programsoftware. Algorithmic descriptions or symbolic representations areexamples of techniques used by those of ordinary skill in the signalprocessing or related arts to convey the substance of their work toothers skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, isconsidered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations or similarsignal processing leading to a desired result. In this context,operations or processing involve physical manipulation of physicalquantities. Typically, although not necessarily, such quantities maytake the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,transferred, combined, compared or otherwise manipulated as electronicsignals representing information. It has proven convenient at times,principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signals asbits, data, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers,numerals, information, or the like. It should be understood, however,that all of these or similar terms are to be associated with appropriatephysical quantities and are merely convenient labels. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the followingdiscussion, it is appreciated that throughout this specificationdiscussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,”“calculating,” “determining”, “establishing”, “obtaining”,“identifying”, “selecting”, and/or the like refer to actions orprocesses of a specific apparatus, such as a special purpose computer ora similar special purpose electronic computing device. In the context ofthis specification, therefore, a special purpose computer or a similarspecial purpose electronic computing device is capable of manipulatingor transforming signals, typically represented as physical electronic ormagnetic quantities within memories, registers, or other informationstorage devices, transmission devices, or display devices of the specialpurpose computer or similar special purpose electronic computing device.In the context of this particular patent application, the term “specificapparatus” may include a general purpose computer once it is programmedto perform particular functions pursuant to instructions from programsoftware.

In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change instate from a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa, for example, maycomprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Withparticular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation maycomprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state orthing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memorydevices, a change in state may involve an accumulation and storage ofcharge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices,a change of state may comprise a physical change or transformation inmagnetic orientation or a physical change or transformation in molecularstructure, such as from crystalline to amorphous or vice-versa. In stillother memory devices, a change in physical state may involve quantummechanical phenomena, such as, superposition, entanglement, or the like,which may involve quantum bits (qubits), for example. The foregoing isnot intended to be an exhaustive list of all examples in which a changein state for a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa in a memorydevice may comprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation.Rather, the foregoing are intended as illustrative examples.

A computer-readable (storage) medium typically may be non-transitory orcomprise a non-transitory device. In this context, a non-transitorystorage medium may include a device that is tangible, meaning that thedevice has a concrete physical form, although the device may change itsphysical state. Thus, for example, non-transitory refers to a deviceremaining tangible despite this change in state.

While there has been illustrated and described what are presentlyconsidered to be example features, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, andequivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subjectmatter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter withoutdeparting from the central concept described herein.

Therefore, it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited tothe particular examples disclosed, but that such claimed subject mattermay also include all aspects falling within the scope of appendedclaims, and equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising, in a first server in acellular network: sending, from the first server, a request for locationinformation to a mobile station; receiving, at the first server from themobile station, a request for assistance data, the request for theassistance data indicating an address of a second server; sending, fromthe first server and based on the address of the second server indicatedin the request for the assistance data received from the mobile station,a request for local mapping data to the second server; receiving, at thefirst server from the second server, the local mapping data; sending theassistance data to the mobile station from the first server, theassistance data being based, at least in part, on the local mapping datawherein the assistance data identifies at least one wireless signaltransmitter; and receiving, at the first server, the locationinformation from the mobile station, the location information beingbased, at least in part, on the assistance data and on a positioningoperation based, at least in part, on at least one wireless signaltransmitted by the at least one wireless signal transmitter identifiedin the assistance data.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at leastone wireless signal transmitter comprises a local area network accesspoint.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the address of the secondserver is based on a coarse position of the mobile station.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the address of the second server is obtainedfrom a third server.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the locationinformation includes a computed mobile device position.
 6. An apparatusfor use in a cellular network, the apparatus comprising a first servercomprising: means for sending a request for location information to amobile station; means for receiving, from the mobile station, a requestfor assistance data, the request for the assistance data indicating anaddress of a second server; means for sending, based on the address ofthe second server indicated in the request for the assistance datareceived from the mobile station, a request for local mapping data tothe second server; means for receiving, from the second server, thelocal mapping data; means for sending the assistance data to the mobilestation, the assistance data being based, at least in part, on the localmapping data wherein the assistance data identifies at least onewireless signal transmitter; and means for receiving, at the firstserver, the location information from the mobile station, the locationinformation being based, at least in part, on the assistance data and ona positioning operation based, at least in part, on at least onewireless signal transmitted by the at least one wireless signaltransmitter identified in the assistance data.
 7. The apparatus of claim6, wherein the at least one wireless signal transmitter comprises alocal area network access point.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, whereinthe address of the second server is based on a coarse position of themobile station.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the address of thesecond server is obtained from a third server.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the location information includes a computed mobiledevice position.
 11. A server for use in a cellular network, the serverbeing a first server comprising: at least one network interface; and atleast one processing unit wherein, via the at least one networkinterface, the at least one processing unit being configured to: send arequest for location information to a mobile station; receive, from themobile station, a request for assistance data, the request for theassistance data indicating an address of a second server; send, based onthe address of the second server indicated in the request for theassistance data received from the mobile station, a request for localmapping data to the second server; receive, from the second server, thelocal mapping data; send the assistance data to the mobile station, theassistance data being based, at least in part, on the local mapping datawherein the assistance data identifies at least one wireless signaltransmitter; and receive, at the first server, the location informationfrom the mobile station, the location information being based, at leastin part, on the assistance data and on a positioning operation based, atleast in part, on at least one wireless signal transmitted by the atleast one wireless signal transmitter identified in the assistance data.12. The server of claim 11, wherein the at least one wireless signaltransmitter comprises a local area network access point.
 13. The serverof claim 11, wherein the address of the second server is based on acoarse position of the mobile station.
 14. The server of claim 11,wherein the address of the second server is obtained from a thirdserver.
 15. The server of claim 11, wherein the location informationincludes a computed mobile device position.
 16. An article comprising: anon-transitory computer readable medium, of a first server, havingstored therein computer-implementable instructions configured to causeone or more processing units of the first server to: send a request forlocation information to a mobile station; receive, from the mobilestation, a request for assistance data, the request for the assistancedata indicating an address of a second server; send, based on theaddress of the second server indicated in the request for the assistancedata received from the mobile station, a request for local mapping datato the second server; receive, from the second server, the local mappingdata; send the assistance data to the mobile station, the assistancedata being based, at least in part, on the local mapping data whereinthe assistance data identifies at least one wireless signal transmitter;and receive, at the first server, the location information from themobile station, the location information being based, at least in part,on the assistance data and on a positioning operation based, at least inpart, on at least one wireless signal transmitted by the at least onewireless signal transmitter identified in the assistance data.
 17. Thearticle of claim 16, wherein the at least one wireless signaltransmitter comprises a local area network access point.
 18. The articleof claim 16, wherein the address of the second server is based on acoarse position of the mobile station.
 19. The article of claim 16,wherein the address of the second server is obtained from a thirdserver.
 20. The article of claim 16, wherein the location informationincludes a computed mobile device position.
 21. The method of claim 1,wherein the local mapping data identifies the at least one wirelesssignal transmitter.